Water-way and gate for reservoirs



T. B. CRAYGROFT.

(No Model.)

WATER WAY AND GATE FOR nnsmvoms.

No. 436,170. Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

W/TNESSES: INVENTOR.

M I e W 6% By Q ATTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' THOMAS B. CRAYOROFT, on PANOOH'E, CALIFORNIA.

WATER-WAY AND GAT E FOR RESERVOIRSI SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 436,170, dated September 9, 1890.

Application filed April 9, 1890 Serial No. 347,209. (No model.) r

.To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, THOMAS B. CRAYCROFT, of Panoche, in the county ofFresno and State of California, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Water-Gates and Reservoirs and Water-Ways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in reservoirs, and in the constructionfor supplying clear water thereto and separating the mud and sand fromthe water; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view,inperspective, of the gate, and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the hingeof the check-valve.

' The reservoir A may be suitably shaped and constructed, as may alsothe water-way B, for supplying the water to the reservoir, communicationbetween said water-way and reservoir being eifected through an openingor gap at in the wall or levee of the reservoir, so

. that water in the water-way may flow into the reservoir. In this gapor opening I arrange what may be termed a check-valve 0, con sistingpreferably, as shown,of a flat plate pivoted at its lower edge to thereservoir, so that water may flow freely into the reservoir from thewater-way, and constructed, when said reservoir is full to the desiredheight, to rise and close against abutments or bearings in thereservoir-wall, the said valve-plate being of buoyant material, so thatit will be floated by the water in the reservoir to closed position whenthe said water is at the desired height.

A gate D is arranged in the water-way B at a point beyond the point ofcommunication of the water-way with the reservoir. In operation thisgate is locked in closed position until the water has been supplied tothe reservoir to fill the same to the desired height, and the lockdevices are then automatically released, permitting the gate to open topermit the subsequent flow of water through the Water-way to thoroughlycleanse the latter and wash out all sediment, mud, sand, &c., which mayhave accumulated in the bottom of the water-way while the reservoir wasbeing filled. Theospeciflc construction of this gate and its lockingdevices will now be described.

' By preference the gate D is hinged at its upper end to a frame E, sothat such gate when released and free will swing at its loweredgedownstream. This gate D has an opening (1, which is arranged on orabove the level of the opening a leading from the water-way into thereservoir. This opening is controlled by a valve F, arranged on the rearside of the gate and arranged to be opened by the* The projections F'fit in the hooks 6 when the valve F is closed, and are formed withshoulder-like portions f which bear upon the hooks when the valve turnsfrom its vertical closed to its horizontal open position, and so operateto release the lock devices, such lock devices consisting of thehook-like bearings on the gate-frame and'the projections on the valve,and arranged to be operated by said valve as it adjusts .from closed toopen position. It will be seen that the lock devices hold the gatefirmly and positively closed until such devices are released.

In operation the water flowing into the water-way,when it has reachedthe height of the gap or opening a, flows from the top of the water-wayinto the reservoir until the latter fills, when the rise of watertherein will lift and close the check-valve. At the same time the riseof water in the water-way above the level of the opening I) will act bypressure against the valve to open the same, release the latch devices,and open the water-gate, so that the latter may swing open and permitthe fiow of water through the waterway to flush and cleanse the same.

The specific construction of the waterway B will now be described andits relative position with the gate D. The gapor opening leading intothe reservoir is formed by a levee running parallel with the reservoir,and having its bed below the level of the opening or gap into thereservoir and level with the lower end of the gate D, thus formingalarge and deep space for water, thereby stopping the motion of theWater, so that all sediment will be compelled to drop to the bottom.Then the clear water will strain off into the reservoir, therebyseparating the mud from the water, and also carrying otf all surpluswater and sediment, thus preventing the surplus flow of water throughthe reservoir and over the dam.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination of the reservoir, the water-way, a gate controlling saidwater-way, and lock devices for said gate, said lock devices includingavalve supported on and movable with the gate and being constructed andarranged to be released by the rise of the water above the desiredheight, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the gate having an opening, a valve by which toclose said opening and arranged to lock the gate closed when the valveis closed, and to release the gate when the valve is adjusted to openposition, said valve being movable with and also independently ot' thegate, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the reservoir, the water-way arranged to supplythe reservoir and to settle or stop the sediment, a gate controllingsaid water-way below the point where it communicates with the reservoir,and au tomatic lock devices for said gate, whereby the latter may bereleased when the reservoir has been filled to the desired height, sub--stantially as set forth.

4:. An improved water-gate consisting of the frame having hook-likebearings or keepers, the gate proper having an opening, and the valvearranged to close said opening when in closed position, and havingprojections or portions to engage the bearings or keepers of the frame,all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, in a water-gate, of the frame having hook-likebearings or keepers, the gate proper hinged at its upper end andprovided with an opening, and the valve hinged to the gate below saidopening and provided with projections F to fit the hooklike bearings orkeepers, such projections F being provided with shoulder-like portions fall substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the reservoir, the water-way arranged to supplythe reservoir with clear water, a gate controlling said waterway beyondthe point of its communication with the reservoir, such gate beingmovably. supported whereby it may open and close and being provided withan opening, a valve ar ranged in rear of said gate and controlling suchopening, and lock devices for the gate arranged for operation-by thesaid valve, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination of the water-way B with the opening a and the gate D,such water-way having its bed below the level of the opening a into thereservoir and level with the lower end of the gate D, being therebyadapted to separate the mud and water and to effect the filling of thereservoir with clear water, substantiallyas and for the purpose setforth.

8. The improved apparatus herein described, consisting of the reservoir,the waterway for supplying such reservoir with clear water, thecheck-valve controlling the opening between said water-way andreservoir, the water-gate arranged in the water-way below the openingbetween the waterway and reservoir, and automatically-released lockdevices for said gate, all substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

THOMAS E. GRAYOROFT.

Witnesses I LESLIE B. MORRIS, CHAS. M. 1\/[ORRIS.

